Frank Lampard has praised Carlton Cole for the progress the forward has made since leaving Chelsea in 2006.

Cole, now with tomorrow's opponents West Ham United, graduated through the Chelsea Academy in the early 2000s, and scored a number of key goals in his early Chelsea career before loan spells with Wolves, Charlton and Aston Villa.

One of his early Chelsea appearances came alongside Lampard as we hauled ourselves back from a two-goal deficit away at Charlton to win 3-2, each scoring second-half goals after none other than Gianfranco Zola had pulled a goal back before half-time, the Italian of course now in the managerial seat at Upton Park.

'We played poorly in the first half and were 2-0 down, but came back to win and it was a good season for me that 2002/03 one. I remember Carlton came off the bench that day and changed it all for us,' Lampard told the Official Chelsea Website.

'Over the last few years his development has been fantastic, he had great potential here, with strength and quality and I think maybe he needed to go and play regularly somewhere. It was never going to be easy to play regularly here but he has shown himself able to play at the top level at West Ham, and is deservedly in the England squad, but still a great down to earth lad.'

Indeed Lampard has played alongside Cole in each of the forward's seven international appearances, and believes the striker, who has nine goals this season, could be a part of Fabio Capello's World Cup squad.

'He's done very well with England, he trains very well and shows what he's got in training, but will perhaps want longer to show what he can do,' said the 31-year-old.

Of course we hope Cole's return to Stamford Bridge this weekend is a quiet one, but all at Chelsea will be keeping a keen eye on how he fares as South Africa approaches.

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